Driver’s changed ways fail to win bail

A MAN tried to convince a court he had changed his ways yesterday, less than 12 hours after he allegedly drove a car at police and led them on a pursuit through Geelong.

But Magistrate Ann McGarvie did not buy Jarrod Cole’s story and refused his application for bail.

Prosecutor Sergeant Peter Beard said officers tried to pull over the disqualified driver in Breakwater just before 3am yesterday, but he took off.

It was alleged he narrowly missed a car while running a red light at 100km/h in a 60km/h zone, then hit 130km/h in a 70km/h zone on Barwon Heads Rd, forcing police to withdraw from their pursuit.

After pulling into the Geelong RSL in Belmont, Mr Cole, 31, hit a dead end and was seemingly cornered, but it was alleged he accelerated at a police vehicle, veered towards High St and continued up Moorabool St towards the Geelong CBD, running a series of red lights.

The officers returned to Breakwater, and 15 minutes later the car they had been following turned into the street where the chase started.

Sgt Beard said Mr Cole, from Altona, got out and jumped a fence to try to evade police.

But the police dog squad was called, and the man was soon found hiding under a tree at a property in Tanner St, the court heard.

Sgt Beard said although Mr Cole gave his arresting officers a false name and address, the tattoos on his neck helped them identity him.

The court was told he was wanted on several warrants, and faced a series of driving offences from the pursuit

Mr Cole originally said he wanted to settle all his court matters, but Ms McGarvie said there was not enough time to do that yesterday, and asked if he wanted to apply for bail. “Yeah, if you want,” he said. But the man’s testimony that he wanted to turn his life around failed to convince her he was not a flight risk or a danger to the public, and he was kept in custody until his next court date.